Overview

• At a gala in Brampton, former prime minister Stephen Harper argued Canada must move past its dispute with India to strengthen international partnerships.
• Harper did not address the RCMP’s accusations that agents of the Indian government were involved in murder, extortion and coercion across Canadian soil.
• He called on all Canadian political parties to sever ties with Sikh separatists who advocate for a separate Khalistan state in northern India.
• His comments coincide with recent diplomatic overtures, including congratulations from Prime Minister Modi to Mark Carney and a productive discussion between Foreign Ministers Anita Anand and S. Jaishankar.
• The Sikh Federation has called on Ottawa to refrain from inviting Prime Minister Modi to June’s G7 summit in Alberta over human rights and security concerns.